Russian domestic audience

Propaganda resources systematically disseminate content portraying Territorial Recruitment Centers (TCC) as illegal paramilitary formations engaged in "human hunting". Messages focus on forced detentions, conflicts with civilians, and corruption scandals to present mobilization not as a state necessity, but as "lawlessness" and a "blood business". A specific emphasis is placed on the alleged merging of the TCC with the police to suppress citizens' rights, aiming to provoke mass resistance and undermine trust in state institutions.

Ukraine is portrayed as a territory temporarily occupied by the West that has lost its agency and must be absorbed by the “Russian civilization.” Routine municipal issues or corruption cases are inflated into proof of state failure, while residents of southern regions are incited to spy for the aggressor under the guise of “resistance.”

Any diplomatic efforts or agreements are portrayed as a cynical Western ploy to rearm the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The messaging claims that negotiations are used solely to buy time for developing missile and drone technologies while Russia remains bound by obligations.

Any explosions or falling debris on Russian territory are cast as deliberate acts of terrorism against civilians and foreign interests. This framing seeks to equate Ukrainian leadership with radical Islamist groups to discredit Ukraine’s defense efforts.

Ukrainian soldiers are portrayed as a threat to the civilian population, allegedly planning attacks on evacuation corridors. Such reports aim to cast the Russian army as the sole “savior” of civilians in the combat zone.

Peaceful public gatherings are portrayed as meaningless actions that are completely ignored by the state leadership. This framing aims to convince society of a total lack of feedback between the people and the authorities, casting democratic tools of influence as futile.

Security incidents or sabotage attempts against Ukrainian assets abroad are passed off as clumsy stagings by Ukrainian intelligence. This framing aims to preemptively absolve Russia of responsibility while portraying Ukraine as a provocateur desperate for Western attention.

Isolated criminal incidents involving former servicemen are presented as proof of the terrorist nature of Ukrainian special forces. By combining allegations of torture abroad with the “neo-Nazi” label, an image is created of an army composed of uncontrollable criminals.

Ukrainian society is portrayed as a collective of aggressive fanatics whose identity is supposedly inextricably linked to hatred and terrorist methods. By manipulating drone incident reports and cherry-picking social media comments, the propaganda attempts to prove the "neo-Nazi" nature of a state that deliberately targets civilians and children.

Spreading contradictory figures regarding fallen servicemen is used to discredit Volodymyr Zelenskyy as an “illegitimate” leader who conceals the truth. This strategy aims to undermine trust in state institutions and create an image of a government that manipulates society for its own survival.

Ukrainian service members are portrayed as a demoralized mass supposedly deserting in droves or openly defying political leadership. This tactic aims to create an illusion of the total collapse of the Armed Forces and inevitable defeat due to internal conflict.

Ukrainian nation-building and national memory are portrayed as inextricably linked to Nazi ideology and collaboration. By distorting historical context and manipulating statements from foreign politicians, this narrative promotes the claim that modern Ukraine cannot exist without radical ideologies.

Mobilization measures in Ukraine are portrayed as the forced sending of citizens to “slaughter,” which supposedly triggers active physical resistance from the population. Propaganda inflates isolated cases of corruption and conflict to depict government agencies as entities hostile to the people.

Ukrainian strikes on military targets and defense enterprises are portrayed as terrorist activities against the Russian civilian population. This framing aims to justify Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian industry as “anti-terror measures.”

Ukrainian leadership is accused of intentionally prolonging the war for personal enrichment and to distract from corruption. Propaganda portrays strikes on Russian infrastructure as terrorist acts against civilians, allegedly aimed solely at escalating the conflict.

Ukrainian society and the military are portrayed as a degraded community dominated by internal conflict, looting, and uncontrolled aggression. By highlighting domestic disputes and football incidents, the narrative promotes the idea of a total collapse of moral values and the inevitable disappearance of Ukrainian identity.

Ukraine is portrayed as an artificial entity destined to lose its western regions to neighbors due to its rejection of an alliance with Russia. Manipulators claim that only Moscow served as the guarantor of the state’s integrity, while Kyiv’s current policies supposedly lead to the absorption of territories by Poland, Hungary, and Romania.

Russian outlets systematically frame strikes on gas stations, postal terminals, and shopping centers as the destruction of military logistics. They claim that civilian infrastructure supposedly serves as a cover for storing weapons and fuel for the AFU, aiming to legitimize attacks on essential urban facilities.

Military aid and diplomatic efforts by allies are portrayed as tools for establishing foreign control over Ukraine and aggression against Russia. Any initiatives for arms production or international visits are interpreted solely as attempts by Western elites to pursue their own hostile ambitions at the expense of the Ukrainian conflict.

Isolated incidents in Odesa are passed off as signs of a systemic collapse of law and order and uncontrolled violence in Ukrainian cities. Manipulators use detailed descriptions of car bombings to create the impression that Ukraine has turned into a danger zone where government agencies are unable to guarantee civilian safety.

Unauthorized absence (UA) is portrayed as the only rational survival strategy, allegedly guaranteeing impunity due to the government's inability to track offenders. Manipulators use fabricated statistics of "800,000 deserters" and isolated management errors to convince soldiers that death at the front is inevitable while desertion is safe.

Successful Ukrainian operations against Russian logistics, refineries, and airfields are cast as mere PR stunts by the Office of the President to secure Western aid. The propaganda claims these attacks lack military significance and aim only to create "visuals" for foreign media and soothe the domestic public amid territorial losses.

Statements by Ukrainian officials and MPs following city shellings are portrayed as evidence of a mass demand for an immediate ceasefire on the aggressor's terms. Propaganda outlets take quotes out of context to create an illusion of a rift between society, individual politicians, and the state's official position.

The Western coalition is portrayed as being on the verge of collapse due to a supposed realization by citizens and politicians of Russia's "true role." Manipulators use internal EU discussions on sanctions as evidence of the inevitable failure of solidarity with Ukraine.

Ukraine is portrayed as a bargaining chip in Washington's grand game, where decisions are allegedly based on the US leader's personal whims or backroom deals with the Kremlin. Outlets amplify rumors of "Anchorage agreements" and the White House's readiness to trade Ukrainian interests for concessions in other geopolitical theaters. This framing aims to instill a sense of total powerlessness in Ukrainians and the perceived inevitability of a "betrayal" by their key ally.

Ukrainian scientific and cultural achievements are passed off as exclusively Soviet or Russian to deny Ukraine's agency. Propaganda claims that the Ukrainian identity of prominent figures like Serhiy Korolev is an "artificial construct", suggesting that Ukraine is incapable of independent development without its link to Russia.

Western politicians are cast as ideological descendants of Nazism seeking revenge for the defeat in WWII through aggression against Russia. This manipulation justifies the Russian invasion as a "preemptive struggle" against a historical enemy that supposedly dreams of dismembering the Russian Federation.

The Russian side uses its updated nuclear doctrine as a tool of pressure, casting any military support for Ukraine as a direct pretext for a nuclear strike on Europe. Propaganda manipulatively claims that only fear of the Russian arsenal prevents NATO intervention, attempting to provoke panic among European taxpayers.

Ukrainian military instructors are portrayed as accomplices of Islamist groups in Mali, allegedly acting under Western intelligence orders against Russia's "Africa Corps". This manipulation aims to discredit Kyiv internationally and justify Russian aggression as an "anti-terrorist" mission.

Western politicians and media are portrayed as being gripped by paranoia, leading them to see national security threats even in children's cartoons. This tactic mocks concerns about Russian soft power by casting any criticism of Russian cultural exports as absurd and baseless aggression against "innocent" creativity.